Home›Questions on Notice›QoN 1494

❓ Hon Dr Brad Pettitt asks a detailed question regarding carbon management on DBCA-managed lands, including carbon storage, emissions from prescribed burns, and peatland management. The answer refers to a response in another document.

AnsweredQoN 1494Legislative Council

Asked

8 August 2023

Member

Hon Dr Brad Pettitt

Portfolio

Environment

QuestionView source ↗

I refer to the following statement on under Point 5 of Page 693 of Budget Paper No 2 - Volume 2 of the 2023/24 State Budget Papers : "The Department will continue to explore carbon abatement and sequestration opportunities on existing and proposed conservation estate, to optimise benefits to the environment, biodiversity and Traditional Owners.", I ask: (a) which agency is responsible for the management of carbon stores on Department of Biodiversity Conservation and Attraction (DBCA) managed land; (b) what was the estimated total amount of carbon stored in native vegetation, soils and other natural carbon stores on DBCA managed lands in each of the following years 2005, 2010, 2020, and 2023 respectively; (c) what method does the DBCA use to assess carbon stores on DBCA managed lands; (d) will the Minister table the details of this method in (c); (e) does the DBCA or the State Government report emissions from DBCA managed lands to the Commonwealth under the National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting System or any other reporting system; (f) will the Minster table any information that has been provided to the Commonwealth Government by DBCA over the last 3 years for the purposes of assessing carbon emissions from lands managed by DBCA, or more generally for the purposes of the national greenhouse accounts; (g) are DBCA land management activities covered within the scope of the Government’s commitment to net zero emissions from government operations by 2030; (h) what are the estimated actual carbon emissions per year (not net emissions) resulting from prescribed burning operations undertaken by DBCA; (i) what is the estimated total amount of carbon sequestered annually by forests and other vegetation per year on lands managed by DBCA; (j) how does DBCA predict that a drying climate will affect this rate of sequestration; (k) what is the estimated amount of carbon stored in peatland soils in DBCA managed lands, per hectare and in total; (l) what is the rate of accumulation for carbon stored in peatland soils in DBCA managed lands; (m) how many hectares of peatland have been burned, or affected by prescribed burning operations over the last 5 years; (n) what is the estimated total amount of carbon that has been emitted as a result of prescribed burns and escaped prescribed burns in peatland systems: (i) over the last 5 years; and (ii) over the last 50 years; (o) what is the estimated total amount of carbon that has been sequestered by peatland systems managed by DBCA: (i) over the last 5 years; and (ii) over the last 50 years; and (p) how long does DBCA estimate will be required before these areas of peatland return to their previous levels of carbon storage?

AnswerView source ↗

Answered

12 September 2023

Responded by

Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Environment

Response time

9 days

Please see the response to Standing Committee on Estimates and Financial Operations 2023-24 Budget estimates - Additional questions question 3 from Hon Brad Pettitt MLC.

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